Mail-box.



W. & P. F. HARTMANN.

MAIL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.29.1914.

Patented Mar. 14, 1916.

mummlfiwm fa zzlFffawmifiw W w. s. P. F. HARTMANN.

MAIL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.29| 1914.

1,175,756. Patented Mar. 14, 1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

tow

arimmzn Pa/zwF'fla/rtma/lzzz (lbtommg rm: COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. c,

ATlZN rr.

I WILLIAM HARTMANN AND PAUL F. HARTMANN, (3F CAPE. GIRARDEAU, MISSOURI.

MAiL-BOX. 7

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM HARTMANN and PAUL F. HARTMANN, citizens of the United States, residing at Cape Girardeau, in the county of Cape Girardeau and State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mail boxes and more'particularly to that type of boxwhich is adapted to rural mail delivery systems.

The invention also relates to combined mail boxes and signals and has for one of its principal objects the provision of means actuated by the front wheel of the vehicle for automatically opening the lid of the box and simultaneously setting one of the signals.

Another object of the invention is the provision of mechanism actuated by the front wheel of a vehicle for raising the lid of the box and setting the signal, and which is constructed in such manner that the rear wheel of the vehicle will restore the lid to normal position without affecting the set signal.

Another object of the invention isto provide a novel form'of signaling mechanism wherein box owner and carrier signals are employed and arranged in such manner that when the carriers signal is lowered the box signal will be automatically raised; wherein the box .owners signal is at certain times independent of the carriers signal and the carriers signal independent of the box owners signal.

Still another object of the invention is to construct the bottom of the mail box in such manner as to facilitate the removal of the mail therefrom.

Further objects of the invention will ap- Fig. 2. Fig. tis a rear elevation with parts broken away to show the locking mechanism for the lid. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail side elevation with the standard casing broken away to more clearly illustrate the signal mechanism. Fig. 6 is a detail vertical section on the line 66 ofFig. 5. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken through the box showing the lid operating rod, the balance spring and the particular type of bottom employed.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 1 represents a standard which is constructed of any suitable material and has its lower end embedded in a concrete base 2, being tied therein by a cross bolt 3, as shown. The standard is held in upright Patented Mar. 14, 1916.

position by a brace 4 substantially L-shaped I 6. This lid is provided with an outwardly and downwardly extending overhanging flange 7 which effectively keeps out rain, snow or sleet and prevents freezing of the lid under the most severe conditions. The bottom of the box indicated at 8 has mounted thereon a false bottom 9 preferably constructed of corrugated metal in the shape shown in Fig. 7. In Fig. 2 several pieces of mail matter are shown so as to indicate how a bottom of this type facilitates the removal of mail by preventing its engagement with the main bottom and in always presentlng suitable openings beneath the mail matter for the insertion of the fingers. As shown, the standard and the working parts to be hereinafter described are all inclosed within a casing 10 which is attached to the base at one end and to the bottom 8 at the opposite end, having suitable openings for the projection of parts for manipulating the several mechanisms, as will be more clearly hereinafter understood. I

J ournaled in the standard and brace 4 adj acentthe base 2 is a shaft 11 having a wheel actuated crank 12 upon its outer end. This shaft is normally'actuated to raise the crank to its highest position by means of a spiral spring 13 which surrounds the shaft and is connected at one end thereto and at its opposite end to the brace 4. Keyed to the shaft 11-. is a toothed segment 14'which' meshes with a pinion 15 loosely mounted upon a stub shaft 16 journaled in the standard 1' above the shaft 11, as shown. The gear 15 is provided with a clutch face 17 arranged to engage a similar clutch face 18 on the end of a sliding collar 19 which is splined upon of the spring 26; The disk 22 isprovi'ded with an eccentric crank pin 27 which con nects with a lid operating rod 28 freely slid able in the tube 29 which passes through the bottom 8 and'is pivotally connected to the bearing bracket '30 on the underside of the lid. I a

Thefree terminal end of the rod 28 1s arranged to engage an abutment or shoulder '31 formed'within the tube 29 so that when the rod 28 is raised the tube 29 will also be elevated and with it the free edge of the lid 6. This movement is assisted by a balance spring 32 surrounding the hinge pin of the lid and having its terminals engaged with the box andlid, respectively.

Itwill be noticed from the foregoing that a when the front wheel of the vehicle engages the crank 12 it will be rotated in one direction and the pinion 15 will be rotated in the opposite direction. 7 The clutch faces 17' and 18 being in engagement, the shaft 16 will be rotated and with it the disk 22, thus it will beseen that the elevating rod 28 and its associated tube 29 will be raised to push the lid upwardly to its limit of :movement.

When the disk 22 has made a half-revolu-v tion the friction wheel on the locking pawl will engage in the notch 23 and hold the lid in elevated position while'the crank 12' is being returned to its normal position by the spring 13. In this retrograde movement of the shaft 11 the pinion 15 rotates idly upon the shaft 16. After mail has been deposited in the boX or upon-engagement of the rearv wheel of the vehicle with the crank 12 the disk 22 will again be turned so that the lid will be lowered. I a

Depending from the bottom 8 within the casing 10 area pair of brackets 33 and 34 each having shafts 35 and 36,- respectively,

vthe owner that mail is inthe box.

journaled therein. The shaft 35 has secured V thereto a target arm 37 upon which is mounted the target 38 used to indicate to The shaft 35 also carries three cranks 39, 40 and 41, the latter of which is arranged within the path of an operating finger 42 carried upon the tube 29 so that upon elevation of the tube 29 the finger 42 will-be broughtinto engagement with the end of the crank 41 and the shaft 35 rotated to elevate the flag 38. The crank 39 has secured to it an opereating rod 43' terminating in an operating handle 44 which projects through the casing 10 in position to be grasped by the carrier.

The rod 43 has formed thereon an eye 45 to which" is connected one end of a spiral spring-46, the opposite terminal being con nected to the shaft 35' or to the bracket 33,

as may be deemeddesirable This spring -n0rmally draws. the rod 43 toward the bracket and maintainsthe flag in either 'lowered or raised position, as will be more clearly hereinafter explained. The crank 40 is connected by a two-part link 47 with'a crank 48 formed upon the shaft 36. The

separate parts of the link 47 are slidably mounted one upon the other and are specifically indicated by thereference characters a and 6, each part having. an eye which sur rounds the other'part. The part Z) of the link 47 is provided with an offset or shoulder 49' arranged to contact with the eye'of' the part). As shown, the shaft 36 isalso provided with a crank 50 which engagesthe bracket 34 and limits the movement of the crank 48 in either direction. 7

The bracket 33 is provided with a depending, laterally offset foot 51 which lies in the path of the crank 41 so as to limit the rotation of the shaft35 in one direction, the opposite direction of movement of the shaft crank 50 withv the bracket '34. a

The operation of the signal mechanism is as follows: When the tube 29 is raised the finger 42 will engage the crank 41, rotate the shaft 35 and elevate theflag 38. In this being limited by the engagement of the.

movement the crank 39 travels from its;

position above the shaft, past center, to its position" below the shaft. As the shaftfis rotated the spring is put under tensionuntil the lever 39 passes center, atwhich time the spring will act to withdrawfthe rod'43 and snap'the target into signaling position. If,

the carriers flag indicated at 1 52 and connected to the shaft 36, is in lowered position when the box owners flag is elevatedtthe V V shoulder 49 will be brought into engagement with the eye on the part a so that should the owner removethe mail and desire to indicate to the carrier that more mail had been placed in the box he would elevate the flag 52 which, through therotation .of the "shaft 36 and the operation of the crank 48, would draw forwardly upon the link 47 and raise the crank 40 from below the shaft 35 to a point slightly beyond center where the spring 46 will act, through the rod l3 and crank 39, to draw the link l7 rearwardly and at the same time turn the shaft 35 so as to throw the flag 38 down and the flag 52 to operative signaling position.

When the carriers flag 52 is in lowered position the flag 38 may be either raised or lowered through the manipulation of the lever 41 or the member 44: but when the carriers flag is raised and the flag 38 lowered the raising of the latter flag causes the automatic lowering of the carriers flag.

lVhat is claimed is 1. In combination, a mail box, mechanism actuated by the front wheel of the vehicle for raising the lid of the box, and means for locking the mechanism in actuated position, said mechanism being constructed to lower the lid upon second actuation by the rear wheel of the vehicle.

2. In combination, a mail box having a lid, mechanism actuated by the front wheel 01" the vehicle for raising said lid, means for locking said lid in raised position, and means for restoring the actuated mechanism to normal position whereby the lid will be positively closed upon the second actuation of said mechanism by the rear wheel of the vehicle.

3. In a mail box having a lid, mechanism for raising the lid including a spring retracted lever, means for locking the lid in raised position independent of the lever, and means for returning the lid to closed position upon the second actuation of the lever.

4. In a mail box having a hinged lid, mechanism for raising the lid including a wheel actuated lever, means for locking the lid in raised position, and means for returning the lever to normal position independent of the locking means, to positively close the lid upon a second operation of the lever.

5. In combination, a supporting standard, a mail box carried thereon and havinga hinged lid, mechanism for operating said lid including a rotatably mounted crank disk carried by the standard, a rod eccentrically connected to the crank disk and to the lid, and vehicle actuated mechanism for turning the disk one-half revolution at each operation to alternately open and close said lid upon successive operations of said mechanism.

6. In combination, a supporting standard, a mail box carried thereon and having a hinged lid, a rotatably mounted crank disk carried by the standard, a two-part rod eccentrically connected to the crank disk and to the lid, and vehicle actuated mechanism for turning the disk a one-half revolution at each operation to alternately open andclose said lid upon successive operations of said mechanism.

7. In combination, a supporting standard, a mail box mountedthereon and having a hinged lid, a crank disk journaled in the standard, wheel actuated means for turning said crank disk a onehalf revolution at each operation to alternately open and close said lid upon successive operation of said means, means for locking the disk after each operation of the mechanism against casual movement, and a two-part rod eccentrically connected to the crank disk and to the lid.

8. In combination, a mail box having a lid, and a signal, means actuated by the front wheel of a vehicle for raising the lid and displaying the signal, means for locking the lidin raised position, means for re storing the said actuating mechanism to normal position whereby the lid will be closed upon the second actuation of the same by the rear wheel of the vehicle, and means for holding said signal in display position during the closing operation of the lid.

9. In combination, a supporting standard, a ing a hinged lid, a crank disk journaled in the standard, wheel actuated mechanism for turning said crank diska one-half revolution at each operation, means for locking the disk after each operation of the mechanism against casual movement, a two-part mail box mounted thereon and havrod eccentrically connected to the crank disk and to the lid, and a signal operated by one part of the rod.

10. In combination, a supporting standard, a mail box mounted thereon and having a hinged lid, a crank disk journaled in said standard, a telescopic operating rod eccentrically connected with said disk and lid, a vehicle actuated mechanism for turning said disk a one-half revolution at each operation to reciprocate said rod and successively raise and lower said lid, said disk having diametrically disposed notches, and a spring pressedfrictional roller adapted to engage in said notches to hold said disk temporarily immovable after each half revolution thereof, and means for returning the actuating mechanism to normal position for a second operation to close said lid.

11. In combination, a supporting standard, a mail box mounted thereon and having a hinged lid, a vehicle operated spring retracted crank shaft journaled in said standard, a gear carried by said shaft, a second shaft journaled in the standard, a gear carried thereby and meshing with the first mentioned gear for rotating said shaft,

a disk 'carried by said second mentioned In testimony'tvhereof We aifin oiu' sigma shaft for rotaltlion therewiitlzh, 3,1111 operaging tures in presence of two Witnesses.

rod eccentrica y connecte Wit said isk and the lid for raising the latter, and means a V a for holding said disk temporarily immovr able during the return movement of said Witnesses:

crank shaft to normal position for a second LOUIS STEIN,

operation to close said lid. JAs. A. BARKS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents;

, 7 Washington, D. G. i 

